Federal Magistrates and the Implications of Consensual References

The significance of the magistrate in the efficient operation of the federal court system makes it important to analyze the extent of the magistrate's powers as well as the limitations placed thereon. This note will examine the matters which may properly be referred to a magistrate and the standard of review which is used when the magistrate's decision goes before the district court. A major consideration in this discussion will be whether parties, by their consent, can expand the scope of magistrate's powers.